13 Patrons, Sponsors, Investors, Oh My

For the past few years, we’ve been fortunate to have a few regular investors in our work. These donations range from $1-$10 month, but they represent so much to me. The idea that people find this blog and our assortment of projects worthwhile of investment is quite mind-blowing, even now.

I am so grateful to each person who stepped up beside me along the way in a sustaining way – Ray, Kristin, Andy, Jennifer, Sonya, and now Staci. I’m also grateful for the one-time gifts from too many people to name. Your faith inspires me.

13 years ago this night, I was thinking about whether a blog was a good idea. We were also awaiting the imminent arrival of our first nibling. It felt like a good omen to start something of our own. So the blog was established on December 29, 2005 and Ava Grace was established on December 30, 2005. At the impending age of 13, she is duly not impressed that I blog. But she enjoys the occasional perk.

But some of you are impressed!

Most last 90 days. Those that get past this moment average 2-3 years. So 13 is pretty damn impressive, right?

We started in 2005. In 2008, we were invited to the first LGBTQ Bloggers Convening in Washington, DC. In 2012, we were invited to a national blogging conference in Rhode Island. In 2015, I was the first blogger in residence with Most Wanted Fine Art. In 2016, I was the first person voted Best Local Blogger in the Pittsburgh City Paper Readers Poll. In 2018, the blog was a finalist in the GLAAD Media Awards. And later that year, I was recruited to join The Pittsburgh Current editorial team as their LGBTQ columnist

All of this is because of our collective investment in this work.

Momentum seems to be on our side. What will happen in 2019?

We want to continue breaking boundaries and smashing through ceilings.

Please note that I don’t have incentives to donate. Blogging should not be accessible to patrons only. To compromise, I will write sustaining donors a monthly letter. You’ll love it! And anyone who wants to read the blog can do so. That’s a win/win.

So can we celebrate 13 years with 13 new donors, either recurring or one-time?